---
I never expected to find myself caught in the middle of this war.
But now, it wasn't just a game between Riven and me.
Cyrus had made his move. And Riven was furious.
The whole house buzzed with tension. The walls felt smaller. The air, thicker. Every shadow seemed to be alive, whispering, waiting for the inevitable clash.
---
Riven didn't let me out of his sight after that night.
He hovered like a predator, his gaze constant. I could feel it, even when he wasn't close. Like the heat of a flame that never went out.
But it wasn't the same anymore. Something had shifted.
He was no longer just obsessed with me.
He was possessed.
---
Riven:
"You've met him, haven't you?"
His voice was soft, deceptively calm. But his grip on my wrist tightened, like a vice.
I didn't look at him.
"Yes," I said, my voice steady. "I met him. And now, I see what he wants."
Riven's lips curled into something that resembled a smile — but it was all sharp edges.
"I won't let him have you."
---
The way he said it made my skin crawl. Because I wasn't sure if he meant he wouldn't let Cyrus take me… or that he would never let me leave him.
Either way, it wasn't freedom.
It was a cage.
---
Later that day, I met Liam in the library. It was one of the few places where Riven couldn't track me every second.
But when Liam saw me, he frowned, his face tight with concern.
---
Liam:
"You should have stayed away from Cyrus."
"I had to know."
Liam ran a hand through his hair, agitated. "You've just made yourself his target."
"I'm already Riven's," I snapped. "Is there a difference?"
He stared at me, his expression unreadable. "Yes. There's a huge difference. Riven is driven by need. Cyrus is driven by revenge. And he doesn't care who gets hurt in the process."
---
I swallowed hard, the reality of the situation finally sinking in.
---
That night, things escalated faster than I anticipated.
I was alone in my room when the door slammed open. Riven stepped inside, his face a storm of fury.
---
Riven:
"You met him again. You betrayed me."
I stood, heart hammering. "I never promised you anything."
He stepped forward, but I stood my ground. "I don't belong to you, Riven."
He froze. Then his eyes darkened in a way that made my blood run cold.
"I own you, whether you like it or not."
---
His hand shot out, grabbing my arm with terrifying force. I yanked away, but he caught me again. This time, his touch was bruising, marking me as his.
"Let go!" I screamed.
But he didn't.
---
Riven (coldly):
"Do you think you can escape me?"
"I'm not escaping," I whispered. "I'm surviving."
---
His grip loosened, but the tension in the room thickened. We stared at each other, the space between us filled with unspoken things. Things that could never be said out loud.
And in that moment, I realized the truth.
I wasn't just trapped in a battle between two dangerous men.
I was becoming something in their war.
A pawn.
A symbol.
A weapon.
---
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. But it wasn't a gentle knock. It was loud, urgent.
Riven didn't move.
I did.
---
I opened the door to find Cyrus standing there, his sharp gaze cutting through the air.
---
Cyrus:
"I think it's time we talked."
---
Riven snarled from behind me.
But I didn't step back.
---
Cyrus (smiling):
"Unless you'd rather stay hidden in your cage, sweetheart?"
---
Riven's voice was ice. "Leave. Now."
Cyrus didn't flinch.
---
Cyrus:
"Do you think she's yours, Riven? She isn't. She's the only thing you'll never control."
---
And just like that, the room became a battlefield.
Riven lunged forward, but I was quicker. I stepped between them.
---
Me:
"Enough. Both of you."
---
They both froze. Neither of them spoke for what felt like an eternity.
Finally, I took a deep breath, my heart racing. "I'm done with being your possession, Riven. And I'm not your pawn, Cyrus. I won't play this game anymore."
---
Riven's face twisted with rage, but he didn't move.
Cyrus just laughed, a soft, mocking sound.
---
Cyrus:
"Good luck, darling. You'll need it."
---
And then he was gone, leaving Riven and me in silence.
---
Riven's eyes were dark, his fists clenched at his sides. "You can't escape me. No one can."
---
I swallowed hard. "I'm not trying to escape. I'm just trying to survive."
---
And for the first time in a long while, I realized—
I wasn't afraid of Riven.
I was afraid of what I was becoming.
---
[End of Chapter 20]
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